Conservative party gets new leader as member interest hits all-time low
In a tight race **Kemi Badenoch** becomes new Conservative leader with historically low member participation. Party faces challenges with shrinking electorate and weak public support
The Tory partyʼs latest leadership contest showed record-low member engagement‚ as Kemi Badenoch won against Robert Jenrick in a close-fought battle. Just 72.8pc of eligible members voted which marks the weakest turnout since the party started member-based voting about 25 years ago
The numbers paint a challenging picture: the partyʼs voting base dropped to 131‚680 members (23.6pc less than in previous election) Badenoch secured only 56.6pc of votes; making her win the narrowest in partyʼs history. The tight 13.1 point margin between candidates shows a deeply-split party base
Poll expert Emma Levin from Savanta points to member dis-satisfaction: “Our research showed this coming; many councillors didnt want to participate in voting“. The new leader got limited support from MPs - only 34.7pc backed her in final ballot‚ which is better than just two previous leaders
- Reform UK gaining 4 million votes from conservatives
- Betting odds favored Badenoch through most of race
- Both candidates scored low on public approval ratings
Recent YouGov polls show both candidates struggle with public opinion; Jenrick scored -27 while Badenoch got -33 favorability rating. Only 19pc of British people said they cared about this election‚ and half of voters think the party isnt relevant in todays politics anymore
